The Aquatic ape

I think Elaine Morgan wrote a great book -- wonderfully thought-provoking -- and she was right in pointing out the differences between humans and other great apes in regard to their dependency on an aquatic environment. But there is not a scintilla of archaeological evidence for her theory.

Think of humans as creatures of the riverbank. The first civilisations were situated on some of the world's great rivers. The Romans built aqueducts and baths to supplement what nature provided. Rather than an aquatic ape, I decided long ago that the species is best described as aRiver Ape.

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Our aquatic heritage is friggin obvious. You think anyone TAUGHT the baby to do this?

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Most mammals can swim naturally, including even cats. (Anyone else see "Milo and Otis"?) Humans are unusual in this regard, for the precise reason that early in childhood we lose the natural ability to swim.